Cyber Security for Accountants & Professional Services
From accountants and IFAs to recruiters and conveyancers – we help you protect client data, meet regulatory expectations and reduce business-stopping cyber risks.
Protect client money, financial records and the trust your firm runs on.
Accountants, bookkeepers and professional service firms hold the information criminals love: bank details, tax records, payroll files, ID documents, contracts, client portals and payment conversations.
We help firms in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Sheffield and across the UK put practical cyber security around email, devices, cloud systems, backups and staff behaviour without creating unnecessary disruption.
Your firm is built on trust. That makes security a business issue, not just an IT one.
Clients share bank details, payslips, tax histories, mortgage information, contracts and personal stories because they expect that information to stay private.
Behind the scenes, many firms still rely on a mix of shared inboxes, cloud portals, spreadsheets, remote access, old servers and busy people making quick decisions. It works, until an email account is compromised or a client payment is redirected.
Business email compromise
One compromised mailbox can expose invoices, payroll conversations, client documents and payment requests.
Payment redirection
Criminals target firms that discuss bank details, supplier changes, client refunds and large transactions.
Cloud access risk
Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, practice systems, portals and file sharing all need sensible controls around them.
Designed for firms that handle sensitive client information every day.
Accountants & bookkeepers
Protect tax records, MTD tools, client portals, practice management systems, shared mailboxes and payment conversations.
Payroll bureaux
Secure payslips, bank files, year-end reports, employee data and outsourced finance processes.
IFAs & financial advisers
Protect sensitive conversations around pensions, investments, mortgages and personal financial planning.
Mortgage & protection brokers
Reduce risk around ID checks, affordability documents, bank statements, client portals and lender communication.
Recruitment agencies
Protect candidate CVs, right-to-work documents, client contracts, sales inboxes and shared databases.
Small professional firms
You do not need a huge IT department. You need a practical security layer that fits your firm, budget and risk.
The gaps are usually ordinary business habits, not recklessness.
- Shared mailboxes used for client work with limited visibility of suspicious activity.
- Microsoft 365 MFA switched on, but no proper monitoring for account takeover.
- Client documents sent as normal email attachments without a safer document process.
- Old servers, legacy applications or remote access routes still quietly supporting the business.
- Backups assumed to exist, but not tested or separated from the main system.
- Partners, fee earners and support staff targeted with invoice fraud and fake payment requests.
- Passwords reused across practice systems, portals and cloud accounts.
- Cyber insurance questions causing stress at renewal.
- No clear offboarding process when staff, contractors or outsourced providers leave.
- Security awareness training treated as a tick-box exercise rather than practical protection.
A security overlay that fits around your existing IT and your firm’s way of working.
We do not have to replace your IT provider. We can work alongside them and focus on the security controls that protect client data, email, documents, identities, devices and backups.
Reduce phishing and invoice fraud
Help stop malicious emails, spoofing, fake supplier requests and credential theft before they reach your team.
Identity protectionSpot account takeover early
Monitor Microsoft 365 for suspicious logins, malicious inbox rules and unusual user behaviour.
Password managementControl access properly
Reduce password reuse across practice systems, portals, cloud tools and shared accounts.
Managed endpoint detectionProtect laptops and workstations
Add managed detection and response around the devices your team uses for client work.
Microsoft 365 backupRecover email and cloud data
Keep mailboxes, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint recoverable after deletion, compromise or mistakes.
Staff awarenessHelp your team spot fraud
Practical training around phishing, payment redirection, fake documents and social engineering.
Where cyber problems quickly become client, compliance and cashflow problems.
A mailbox is compromised near a tax deadline. The attacker silently watches client conversations, then sends a believable payment request.
A fake instruction changes payroll bank details. The issue is only spotted after payments have already gone out.
A client portal login is exposed. Sensitive financial documents, ID checks and personal information are put at risk.
A shared inbox is targeted with phishing. Candidate documents, client contacts and sales conversations become exposed.
Ransomware locks files and systems. The firm needs tested backups, clear recovery steps and support fast.
You look after your clients’ affairs. We help protect the systems behind that trust.
In simple terms: review → protect → monitor → recover.
We look at how your firm works, where sensitive data lives, how email is protected, who has access, what happens if a device is compromised, and whether recovery is realistic.
- Review your email, cloud tools, devices, access and backups.
- Protect client data, financial records and business-critical systems.
- Monitor for suspicious behaviour and early warning signs.
- Support recovery if an incident, deletion or ransomware attack occurs.
Cyber security that supports the firm, rather than slowing it down.
We understand trust-based businesses
Professional firms need to protect client confidence, confidentiality and continuity. The technical controls need to serve that purpose.
We work alongside IT
Your IT provider keeps systems running. We can add the security layer: email protection, endpoint monitoring, identity checks, backups and staff awareness.
We support evidence and assurance
Better security helps with Cyber Essentials, cyber insurance, GDPR accountability, client due diligence and professional expectations.
Useful next steps for accountants and professional firms.
Cyber Essentials
A practical baseline for client assurance, supplier checks, tenders and insurance questions.
Professional servicesCyber Essentials for firms
More guidance for data-driven firms that need to prove sensible cyber controls are in place.
Microsoft 365Microsoft 365 Security
Secure email, identity, files and collaboration tools used across your practice.
Security guidancevCISO for SMEs
Cyber security leadership for firms that need direction without a full-time hire.
Questions accountants and professional firms often ask.
Do you replace our IT provider?
No. Your IT provider keeps systems running. We focus on security: email protection, endpoint monitoring, identity checks, backups, password management and staff awareness. We are happy to work alongside your existing IT team or provider.
Can you help us work towards Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Many professional firms now face tenders, clients, insurers or partners asking for Cyber Essentials. We can help you understand what is already in place, what needs improving and how to move towards certification.
We use cloud software. Is that enough?
No. Cloud platforms still rely on secure logins, strong access controls, protected devices, staff decisions and separate backup. The cloud provider does not remove your responsibility for protecting your accounts and data.
Can you help reduce invoice fraud and payment redirection risk?
Yes. We can help protect email, improve domain protection, monitor identities, train staff and reduce the chance of fake payment requests being trusted.
What does a typical package cost?
It depends on firm size, number of staff, systems in use and the level of monitoring required. We have entry-level options for smaller practices and more advanced packages for firms with higher risk or compliance pressure.
Do you support firms outside Chesterfield and Sheffield?
Yes. We are based near Chesterfield and support firms across Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and the wider UK.
Protect the client trust your firm has worked hard to earn.
If your firm handles client money, payroll, tax records, financial advice, contracts or sensitive documents, we can help you put practical security around it.
Meet Kevin: Founder of Black Swan
Concerned about cyber security? Need advice or a tailor-made quote? Kevin is here to help you!
From actionable advice to helping you to see where you could be at risk, Kevin will help you to get your business on a path that is secure-by-design and ready for the unthinkable.
Ready to replace sleepless nights with peace of mind? It all starts with an informal chat!
Either schedule a call by selecting a suitable date and time on the calendar or by clicking the button below to send us a message.
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